Pasay city: The House of Representatives prosecution panel is contemplating requesting the Senate impeachment court to subpoena Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, following multiple allegations identifying him as the recipient of the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) confidential funds.
According to Philippines News Agency, former OVP special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta testified that Lachica, who was then the head of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group, was also responsible for implementing projects associated with the confidential funds. Prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers and public prosecutor Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores have stated that no definitive decision has been made regarding Lachica's testimony. The panel is still considering whether his testimony is necessary to substantiate the case amidst the existing evidence and the time constraints of completing Article I.
Barbers explained in a press conference after Monday's trial at the Senate in Pasay City that the prosecution team is deliberating on which potential witnesses may need to be subpoenaed if the current testimonies and evidence are deemed insufficient. Lachica has become a pivotal figure in Acosta's testimony. Acosta revealed that Vice President Sara Z. Duterte instructed her to release the first PHP125-million confidential tranche to Lachica in December 2022, with three additional tranches following in 2023. She also indicated that Lachica was involved in supplying operational inputs, implementing confidential activities, and handling fund utilization reports, reclaiming the internal documents he had signed after each liquidation. However, his name was absent from official documents submitted to the Commission on Audit.
Barbers stated that additional witnesses would be subject to the court's five-day disclosure rule, and the panel would adhere to this requirement before presenting anyone not already scheduled. He also mentioned a reported Armed Forces of the Philippines inquiry involving officers linked to the confidential fund issue, asserting that it would not prevent the panel from requesting the presence of Lachica if deemed necessary.
Flores emphasized that the decision lies with the prosecution panel, particularly the team leader handling Article I. He dismissed any notion that the prosecution was indifferent to presenting Lachica, noting that the key consideration was whether his testimony would contribute anything essential following Acosta's admissions. Flores highlighted that it has already been established that the SDO had no involvement in the disbursement, relying solely on Lachica's statements and documents.
Flores further explained that Lachica's appearance would not alter the prosecution's view that Acosta did not personally handle the downstream payments and lacked personal knowledge of the recipients. The panel is mindful of the trial calendar and is cautious not to prolong the proceedings unnecessarily after establishing the crucial points of their theory.
